Canadian Immigrant magazine announced winners of its ninth annual RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards which selects and celebrates the success stories of immigrants who have made an effective contribution to Canada. The award is sponsored by RBC, Mehr News Agency reported.

The Iranian-born composer Heidari, 41, residing in Canada, holds a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Toronto. He currently works as a pianist for Orchestra Toronto, music director and conductor for the ICOT (Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto) Symphony Orchestra, and as freelance educator, pianist, composer and conductor.

He is also composer for the National Ballet of Canada and Thirteen Strings Orchestra in Ottawa.

Heidari began his musical studies at the age of five, with one of Iran’s most famous piano professors, Ardeshir Rohani.

In 2003, he was admitted to Art University of Tehran as a top student in master of music in composition where he studied with well-known musicians Farhad Fakhreddini, Ahmad Pejman, Hossein Dehlavi, Mostafa Pourtorab as well as Tolib Shakhid from the Moscow Conservatoire, and Khayyam Mirzazade from Azerbaijan State Conservatoire.

Heidari served as a composer, assistant conductor and pianist for the Iran National Music Orchestra for more than 10 years. In the summer of 2011, he won a trophy for conducting the Pardis Orchestra at the opening ceremony of Tirgan Festival at Harbourfront Center in Toronto. He is also one of the co-founders of the Iranian classical music group ICOT.

Another noteworthy achievement of the composer is his selection as a classical judge for the 2017 Juno Awards, Canada’s most prestigious music award.

The RBC award is a peoples’ choice award that recognizes inspirational immigrants who have moved to Canada, achieved success and made a positive difference living there.